South Korea beat Czechia after Oh Hyeon-gyu finishes late comeback
Oh Hyeon-gyu's 80th-minute goal gave South Korea a 2-1 Group A win and gave Belgian league followers a familiar World Cup storyline.
In 30 seconds
- Contemporary match reports recorded South Korea beating Czechia 2-1 in Guadalajara.
- Match reports recorded Ladislav Krejčí scoring first, Hwang In-beom equalising and Oh Hyeon-gyu winning it in the 80th minute.
- FIFA's 2026 format sends group winners, runners-up and the eight best third-placed teams to the round of 32.
- Oh Hyeon-gyu's recent club career included KRC Genk in the Belgian Pro League.
Oh Hyeon-gyu (South Korean striker, born in 2001) is the forward whose late goal decided the match and whose recent club career included KRC Genk. Hwang In-beom (South Korean midfielder, born in 1996) scored the equaliser and supplied the decisive attacking action. Ladislav Krejčí (Czech defender, born in 1999) is Czechia's captain and scored with a second-half header. Son Heung-min (South Korean captain, born in 1992) is the country's best-known modern footballer after a long Premier League career. Hong Myung-bo (South Korea coach, born in 1969) captained the 2002 team that reached the World Cup semi-finals. Czechia (Central European state, formed in 1993 after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia) is playing this tournament as the Czech Republic's football successor. Guadalajara (Mexican city in Jalisco) is one of the 2026 host cities. KRC Genk (Belgian Pro League club in Limburg) was Oh's Belgian stop before his 2026 move abroad.
Background
South Korea's World Cup reputation has been built on late resilience and major upsets. FIFA records place their best finish in 2002, when the co-hosts reached the semi-finals under Guus Hiddink before finishing fourth. In 2018, South Korea beat Germany 2-0 in Kazan, a result that helped eliminate the defending champions. In 2022, Hwang Hee-chan's stoppage-time goal against Portugal sent South Korea into the last 16. Czechia's modern World Cup history is thinner: the Czech Republic last appeared in 2006, while Czechoslovakia reached the finals in 1934 and 1962.
Why now
The story is timely because Group A has just opened and South Korea's late comeback immediately changed the pool's early standings. Opening matches matter more psychologically than mathematically, but this one gave South Korea points, momentum and a clear selection talking point around Oh Hyeon-gyu.
What happens next
Watch South Korea's next Group A lineup: Oh Hyeon-gyu's winner could strengthen his case for a larger role. Czechia's response will show whether the team can turn set-piece danger into a fuller attacking plan. Group A's third-match-day arithmetic may remain open under the expanded format.
What to do
For Belgian viewers, the practical takeaway is simple: South Korea's next Group A fixtures now carry added interest, especially for KRC Genk followers tracking Oh Hyeon-gyu. Fans planning viewing around Belgium's own matches may find Group A worth monitoring because third-place qualification can create knockout opponents and wider tournament knock-on effects.
How we got here
- 2002-06-29
South Korea finished fourth at the World Cup after co-hosting with Japan.
- 2018-06-27
South Korea beat Germany 2-0 in Kazan at the World Cup.
- 2022-12-02
South Korea beat Portugal 2-1 and reached the last 16 in Qatar.
- 2026-06-12
South Korea beat Czechia 2-1 in their opening Group A match in Guadalajara.
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- 1 May 2025, 02:00
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